Quantification of salt concentrations in cured pork by computed tomography

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Understanding salt diffusion in meat is crucial for food processing and quality.
• Traditional methods for analyzing salt concentration can be destructive and time-consuming.
• Computed tomography (CT) offers a non-invasive imaging approach with potential for quantitative analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of computed tomography (CT) in estimating salt (chloride) concentration gradients during the curing of pork loin.
• To assess the utility of CT-based diffusion modeling for analyzing salt penetration in meat products.

Main Methods:

• Eight pork loin samples were cured in Plexiglas cylinders for five days.
• Samples underwent computed tomography (CT) scanning every 24 hours.
• Post-experiment, samples were sectioned and analyzed for chloride content.
• CT image analysis was used to extract concentration profiles and fit them to a diffusion model.

Main Results:

• CT scanning provided accurate estimations of salt gradients within the pork loin samples.
• The developed diffusion model, incorporating a mass transfer coefficient, effectively described salt penetration.
• Image analysis of CT data successfully quantified chloride concentration profiles.

Conclusions:

• Computed tomography is a reliable and accurate method for assessing salt distribution in meat.
• This non-invasive analytical technique holds significant potential for applications in food science research and product development.
• CT imaging can aid in optimizing curing processes and ensuring product consistency.